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All About Glass

Guardian Industries is a diversified company that still manages to stay close to its roots-glass. Glass is still very much in use today so the company has a very relevant product.

The company began in 1932 as the Guardian Glass Company. Its sole purpose was to make windshields for the automotive industry. The company opened its first glass plant in Carleton, Michigan in 1970. Here Guardian began manufacturing float glass. To make this product molten glass is floated in a bath of liquid tin.

As part of its diversification thrust, in 1980 the company began opening several fiberglass insulation plants. Guardian also started to acquire companies. Builders Marts of America was acquired in 1998 and Cameron Ashley Building Products was bought in 2000 and became Guardian Building Products Distribution.

From its origins as a windshield maker to the automotive sector, Guardian Industries is now one of the world’s largest glassmakers. It has multiple facilities located in five continents. The company produces float glass and fabricated glass products for the automobile and construction markets. It also has one of the largest building supply distribution centers in North America through Guardian Building Products Distribution.

The company has a product which is glass that continues to be of relevance and there are new discoveries for the use of glass still occurring. It has made some diversifications which have turned out to be correct and its reaping the fruits of these moves.